doughty



pand or are compressed to conform to the varied movemetrically opposite each other, are mounted two boxes,

,that when the pniion rests on the base of the sleeve a,

uit time Laim Parar No. 92,433, dma .my 13, 1869.`

SPRING- FDRSTEADYING- TH MTION 02E MILLSTONES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To whom it lmay conca-rn:

Be it known that I, J. J. DoUGHrY, of Lake City, inthe county of IVabasha, and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Springs for Giving Steady Motion to Millstones, and for other purposes; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- YFigure l1 represents a side elevation of a gear-wheel, toy which my improvements are applied.

Figure' 2 is a section on the line x i iig. 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view 'of the wheel, looking om beneath.

My invention relates more particularly .to gearing for actuating millstones,bnt is applicable in any connection where a trainof wheels for' transmitting motion is employed.

My object is to prevent the backlash or reaction of one wheel upon the other, produced by irregularities in their velocity, where the moving-power is not uniform and the load or resistance is variable.

This is especially to be guarded against with millstones, whose motion, in order to producethe best rel sults, should be smooth and steady.

To this end, I combine with the crown or other wheel, and the millstone-shaft to which it gives motion, one or more rubber springs, in the manner hereinafter described, 'so that the motion of the wheel shall be communicated to the shaft through the medium of said springs.

The arrangement of the latter is such that they ex-' ment of the teeth or shaft, so that the backlash is expended to a great extent upon them, and not upon the .wheel or shaft, and the latter, consequently, is caused to revolve smoothly and evenly.

To enable those skilled in the art to understand and use my invention, I will now proceed to describe the manner in which the same is or may be carried into effect, by reference to the accompanying drawings.

A represents the shaft to which motion is to be imparted.

Upon its lower end is' mounted a sleeve, a, the base b of which is enlarged so as to forma shoulder, or base, upon which rests the pinion B, whichencircles the sleeve, although it is not keyed or immovably fastened thereto.

, Upon the under side of the pinion, and about diac c, in which are placed blocks of vulcanized rubber d, or equivalent elastic material.

Arms f f project from the hub or base b, occupying a position thereon corresponding to that of the boxes on the pinion.

The arrangement of the boxes and arms is such,

the rubber spring in each box will bear againstthe contiguous face ofl the arm adjoining it, as rlainly shown in fig. 3.

If the wheel berevolved in the direction ofthe arrow, it will be seen that the boxes and their rubber springslor cushions engage with the arms, andv thus cause -the shaft'tomove in unison with the wheel. l

In order to prevent the backward movement of the pinion, which would separate the boxes from their arms, a clutch, or projection, lt', is formed on the hub l1, near each arm f, the space between cach arm and clutch constituting a recess, in which the end of the box is received and held.

-When the pinion is revolved as indicatedin iig. 3, the rubber springs press against the aims of the hub, and impart the uniform motion of the wheel `to the shaft. A ny irregularities of motion, however, resulting from the momentary increase or decrease of the ve locity of thewheel or shaft, instead of being directly imparted by one to the other, and thus causing the backlash, will induce a greater or less pressure upon the rubber springs, and thus canse. the latter t0 be more or less compressed.

rIhe motion, therefore, of the shaft willbe smooth,r

and even, and all irregularities will be taken up or compensated for by the spring.

It is manifest that the arrangement of parts herein shown ,may be reversed, the boxes being formed on the hub b, and the arms on the pinion A, and also that the springs may be applied on either face of the mion.

It will also'be understood that the springs can be applied in any connection where gear-wheels are employedto transmit motion.

Any other suitable elastic or spring-device for effecting the result above named rmay be employed, in-

stead of vulcanizedrubber, but I much prefer the latter, as being by far the best fitted for practical use.

Having now described my invention, and the man-v ner in which the same is or may be cairied into effect,

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Iatent is 1 1 l. The combination, with the pinion, or wheel and shaft -nponwhich it is mounted, as described, of the arms f and the rubber springs and boxes in which thewy same are held, constructed, and arranged," upon "the exterior of the said wheel, in the manner and for -the purposes herein shown and specified.

2. In combination with the parts claimed inthe preceding clause, the clutches k, for preventing the backward movement of the pinion, under the arrangement and for operation -as herein shown 'and set forth.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, before two subscribing witnesses.v J. J. DOUGHTY..

Witnesses:

S. B. Munson, Jr., J. A. MCBRIDE. 

